Water-smart Landscaping Techniques Can Save Your Lawn and Protect the Watershed
This story was featured in the Northfield News, Faribault Daily News, Owatonna People’s Press, and Waseca County News.
Rain garden in Northfield, MN - Image Source: City of Northfield
This summer, Minnesota has experienced an unusually high amount of rainfall, which has important implications for landscaping. Using water-smart landscaping techniques during heavy rainfall can improve the look of your yard and decrease or even eliminate the need for excessive irrigation and fertilizers. Making these changes helps save time and money but also helps preserve your lawn and water quality in your area. Here are a few things you can do.
Consider creating a rain garden if you notice specific areas where water collects in your lawn. A rain garden is a shallow depression planted with native vegetation that helps rainwater from hard surfaces like roofs, driveways, and walkways to soak into the ground. By capturing and absorbing rainwater, rain gardens reduce the need for watering and help prevent soil erosion with their deep-rooted plants. They also attract birds and butterflies.
The City of Northfield encourages the installation of residential rain gardens by offering a rebate program. This program, open to all property owners within Northfield city limits with a Northfield utility account, offers a reimbursement of 50% up to $250 for the expenses related to materials used in building a rain garden and for any construction equipment rental. This initiative not only supports your efforts in water conservation but also provides a financial incentive for your sustainable landscaping practices.
Even if you don't want to create a rain garden with native plants, you can still significantly impact water quality with your turf grass. Simple adjustments, such as raising your lawn mower blade, especially in the summer, can encourage deeper root growth and reduce the need for excessive watering. This straightforward technique, within the recommended range for your turf species, can help you protect water quality and contribute to a healthier environment.
Lastly, consider using less or no fertilizer on your lawn. Fertilizer contains nitrogen and phosphate, which help plants grow. However, when they end up in water, they can cause algae to grow and reduce oxygen levels, making it hard for aquatic life to survive. If you need fertilizer, look for types that contain "natural organic" or "slow-release" ingredients, as these fertilizers feed plants slowly and evenly, creating healthier plants with strong root systems without too much extra growth. Alternatively, leaving grass clippings on the lawn after mowing can also provide natural fertilizer for the soil, reducing the need for additional fertilizer.
In conclusion, by implementing water-smart landscaping techniques and being mindful of our choices, we can contribute to a healthier environment and preserve the beauty of our surroundings. Whether it's through creating rain gardens, adjusting lawn care practices, or using fertilizers responsibly, each step we take, as part of a larger community effort, can have a positive impact on local water quality and ecosystem health. Together, we can make a difference for the betterment of our community and the natural world around us.
